LPG Supply To Be Cut off If Households Refuse PNG Switch Where Available: Govt Order

New Delhi, March 25: Amid a global fuel crisis triggered by the West Asia conflict, the government of India has mandated that cooking gas supply to households will be discontinued if consumers fail to switch to piped natural gas (PNG) where such connectivity is available.

The directions were given under a new order aimed at accelerating gas network expansion and reducing reliance on a single fuel. India is grappling with an LPG shortage due to the war in West Asia disrupting supplies from key sources. As a result, the government is pushing households and commercial users to switch to PNG, a more convenient alternative that is both domestically produced and sourced through diversified supply.

PNG is continuously supplied to kitchen burners through pipelines, eliminating the need to book refills. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026, aimed at accelerating pipeline infrastructure, easing approvals and promoting a shift from LPG to PNG to strengthen energy security.

The order issued on March 24 states that LPG supply “shall cease after three months” if a household does not opt for PNG despite availability. The provision, however, allows continuation where it is “technically infeasible” to provide a piped connection, subject to a no-objection certificate.

The move is aimed at freeing up LPG supplies from areas with pipeline connectivity and diverting them to regions lacking such infrastructure, while promoting “fuel diversification” amid global supply disruptions, including damage to liquefaction facilities in the Gulf and the continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

Commenting on the order, Oil Secretary Neeraj Mittal in the post on X said “a crisis (has been) turned into an opportunity” through the ease of doing business reforms. The order, issued under the Essential Commodities Act, seeks to fast-track pipeline infrastructure by easing approvals, standardising charges and ensuring time-bound permissions.